2021 NFL season award predictions at the midpoint: Tom Brady, Kyler Murray among 5 MVP vote-getters

11/09/2021

With the 2021 NFL season at its midpoint, NFL.com’s analysts update their predictions on who they think will win some of the league’s most prestigious individual awards, including:

MVP
Offensive Player of the Year
Defensive Player of the Year
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Comeback Player of the Year
Coach of the Year

Participating analysts: Brian Baldinger, Judy Battista, Jeremy Bergman, Ali Bhanpuri, Tom Blair, Gil Brandt, David Carr, Brooke Cersosimo, Jeffri Chadiha, Gennaro Filice, Cynthia Frelund, Chase Goodbread, Marcas Grant, DeAngelo Hall, Dan Hanzus, Maurice Jones-Drew, Willie McGinest, Dan Parr, Kevin Patra, Adam Rank, Chad Reuter, Gregg Rosenthal, Marc Ross, Marc Sessler, Nick Shook, Matt Smith, Joe Thomas, Lance Zierlein.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

(13 votes: Battista, Bergman, Chadiha, Goodbread, Grant, Hall, Jones-Drew, McGinest, Patra, Rank, Reuter, Rosenthal, Sessler)

2. Kyler Murray | 7 votes: Baldinger, Blair, Brandt, Hanzus, Parr, Shook, Thomas

3. Josh Allen | 4 votes: Filice, Frelund, Smith, Zierlein

4. Lamar Jackson | 3 votes: Bhanpuri, Cersosimo, Ross

5. Derek Carr | 1 vote: Carr

Why Gregg Rosenthal chose Tom Brady: MVP is often a narrative award, and Brady won’t have the same storyline sizzle as guys like Dak Prescott, Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray. MVP is also often a team award, however, and I suspect the Bucs finish with the NFC’s No. 1 seed while Brady remains the best down-to-down passer in football at the age of 44 on the way to his fourth MVP.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

(15 votes: Bergman, Bhanpuri, Blair, Brandt, Cersosimo, Chadiha, Grant, Hall, Hanzus, Parr, Patra, Reuter, Sessler, Shook, Thomas)

2. Matthew Stafford | 5 votes: Baldinger, Carr, Jones-Drew, Smith, Zierlein

3. Kyler Murray | 2 votes: Battista, Ross

T-4. Davante Adams | 1 vote: Goodbread

T-4. Tom Brady | 1 vote: Rank

T-4. Nick Chubb | 1 vote: Frelund

T-4. Lamar Jackson | 1 vote: Filice

T-4. Dak Prescott | 1 vote: McGinest

Why Jeffri Chadiha chose Cooper Kupp: No receiver has been more productive than Kupp. He’s on pace for 1,900 yards and 19 touchdowns, and there isn’t a non-quarterback who is close to being that dominant at his position.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

(16 votes: Battista, Bergman, Blair, Cersosimo, Filice, Goodbread, Grant, Hanzus, McGinest, Parr, Patra, Reuter, Ross, Sessler, Shook, Thomas)

2. Trevon Diggs | 6 votes: Baldinger, Brandt, Chadiha, Hall, Jones-Drew, Zierlein

T-3. Aaron Donald | 2 votes: Frelund, Rank

T-3. T.J. Watt | 2 votes: Rosenthal, Smith

T-5. Maxx Crosby | 1 vote: Carr

T-5. Jalen Ramsey | 1 vote: Bhanpuri

Why Nick Shook chose Myles Garrett: Garrett is averaging 1.3 sacks per game, a pace that puts him right in line with the single-season NFL record of 22.5. If he hits that mark, he’ll lock this award up, no matter how many fumbles T.J. Watt forces.

OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

(24 votes: Baldinger, Battista, Bhanpuri, Blair, Brandt, Carr, Cersosimo, Chadiha, Filice, Goodbread, Grant, Hall, Hanzus, Jones-Drew, McGinest, Patra, Reuter, Rosenthal, Ross, Sessler, Shook, Smith, Thomas, Zierlein)

2. Mac Jones | 2 votes: Bergman, Frelund

T-3. Justin Fields | 1 vote: Rank

T-3. Najee Harris | 1 vote: Parr

Why DeAngelo Hall chose Ja’Marr Chase: Chase has transformed the Bengals’ offense into an electric unit when he’s in sync with Joe Burrow. In a draft class full of offensive talent, the Bengals wideout gets the edge over QBs and other playmakers because he has consistently made life hell for defensive backs and D-coordinators.

DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

(25 votes: Baldinger, Battista, Bergman, Blair, Brandt, Carr, Cersosimo, Chadiha, Filice, Frelund, Goodbread, Hanzus, Jones-Drew, McGinest, Parr, Patra, Rank, Reuter, Rosenthal, Ross, Sessler, Shook, Smith, Thomas, Zierlein)

2. Patrick Surtain | 3 votes: Bhanpuri, Grant, Hall

Why Willie McGinest chose Micah Parsons: An immediate impact player on Dan Quinn’s defense. Parsons’ presence at the second level led to the release of Jaylon Smith a month into the season. The Penn State product continues to develop untapped parts of his game and is producing like crazy with five sacks, 14 QB hits and 10 tackles for loss in eight games. No other rookie has been a game-wrecker like Parsons.

COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR

(25 votes: Battista, Bergman, Bhanpuri, Blair, Brandt, Carr, Cersosimo, Chadiha, Filice, Frelund, Goodbread, Hall, Hanzus, McGinest, Parr, Patra, Rank, Reuter, Rosenthal, Ross, Sessler, Shook, Smith, Thomas, Zierlein)

2. Joe Burrow | 2 votes: Grant, Jones-Drew

3. Andrew Whitworth | 1 vote: Baldinger

Why David Carr chose Dak Prescott: There was a laundry list full of concerns around the Dallas QB leading up to Week 1, but all he’s done since then is put the Cowboys in winning situations. He’s even cemented himself in the MVP conversation with his team sitting comfortably at the top of the NFC East.

COACH OF THE YEAR

(14 votes: Baldinger, Battista, Blair, Brandt, Carr, Frelund, Grant, Hall, McGinest, Reuter, Sessler, Shook, Smith, Thomas)

T-2. Sean Payton | 3 votes: Filice, Parr, Patra

T-2. Mike Vrabel | 3 votes: Bhanpuri, Rank, Zierlein

4. Matt LaFleur | 2 votes: Bergman, Rosenthal

T-5. Bill Belichick | 1 vote: Hanzus

T-5. Rich Bisaccia | 1 vote: Jones-Drew

T-5. John Harbaugh | 1 vote: Ross

T-5. Mike McCarthy | 1 vote: Chadiha

T-5. Sean McDermott | 1 vote: Goodbread

T-5. Brandon Staley | 1 vote: Cersosimo

Why Marc Sessler chose Kliff Kingsbury: In August, we were wondering if Kingsbury would spend this autumn attached to the hot seat. Arizona felt figured out, Kingsbury’s system just another pro football flash in the pan. Utter nonsense. The Cardinals’ rise proved their coach to be something else: an inventive, resourceful leader whose balanced team operates as an overwhelming force on offense and a swallow-you-up behemoth on defense. Kliff is king.

EACH ANALYST’S BALLOT

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